Sunday, August 7, 2011

Green Flash Brewing Hop Head Red

Too much of anything is no good. I'm torn on Green Flash. I really want to like them. They're a San Diego brewery. They love hops. Many of the hard core San Diego locals love them. But, they disappoint me way too often. The first time I tried their West Coast IPA I thought it was more herbaceous than mama's Italian seasoning. I later developed a taste for it, a very unique beer. Then, I fell head first in love with the Imperial IPA and raved about it. It made me want to try the Summer Saison, which was only okay. That brought me to the Hop Head Red. It was an important turning point in my opinion on the brewery.

Well, I've tried it and my advice is to save your money. It's said to be dry hopped with Amarillo hops. Believe it. The hop nose is tremendous, with pine, herbs, desert flowers, and a hint, and only a hint, of sweet malt assaulting your nose. The appearance is a deep amber red, definitely towards the brown side, almost like Mott's Apple Juice. It tastes overwhelmingly of piney, herbaceous hops. Something was missing in it. It was full-flavored and not watery and malty at all, but the hop attack was overwhelming. It's as if someone took a hop water garden hose and sprayed it down my throat at 106 IBU's. Good God. Oh yeah, we forgot something: malt.

I'm less than impressed and it makes me wonder if I'll ever try anything from these guys that's (A) not labeled "IPA"; or (B) been sitting around in a bottle for God knows how long. In the meantime, I can't taste my next day's lunch.

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Greetings!

My Buddy Mark and I are close friends in distant cities. We've been fans of that nectar of the gods, Beer. I live in Seattle and Mark in Chicago. We hope you enjoy our Blog as much as we enjoy beer and sharing it!